I Thee Wed
by MaverickLover2
Summary: Bart Maverick finally gets what he's secretly always wanted – a home and a wife.
1. Prologue

I Thee Wed

Prologue

The wind blew the branches to and fro on the Desert Willow Tree, just beginning to bloom with a profusion of fragrant pink flowers. It stood at the top of a hill overlooking the Maverick Ranch, on the outskirts of Little Bend, Texas. The tree provided shade for the family graveyard, a soothing, peaceful spot that had been the final resting place for Maverick wives and mothers, Abigail and Isabelle, for many years.

The tall man stood and gazed at the little graveyard as he had many, many times before. His mother had lain here, peacefully waiting for her husband to join her, since the man was a boy of five years old. He'd come to talk to her hundreds of times through the years; sometimes happy, sometimes sad, more often than not just to share some quiet time with the only momma he'd ever known. Not that there hadn't been a woman in his life that loved and took care of him as he grew to manhood . . . but she wasn't momma. There was only one Belle Maverick, and he'd come to tell her of something joyous that was about to happen in his life. He was getting married.

"You've met her, Momma. That beautiful blue-eyed blonde that I've brought up here so many times. Her name's Doralice, and you'd love her. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Even Bret and Pappy approve, and you know how particular both of them are. We've decided to have the wedding up here, so you can be with us. It's on your birthday, this Saturday, June twenty-ninth. That way I can always remember to celebrate both my girls' special day." The tree branches rustled in the wind and the tall man smiled. "I knew you'd approve.

"She makes me happy, Momma, happier than I've any right to be. Happier than I ever thought I could be. She's everything I ever wanted, and never thought I'd find. Oh, I spent a lotta years lookin', and I thought I was ready more than once, but somethin' always happened to stop me. Now I know why. I had to go to Mexico to save her, and I almost lost me instead. It took me a long, long time to see what was right under my nose from the first minute I saw her." He sighed. "She sure is somethin' special."

He twirled the hat he held in his hands and laughed softly. "She makes me a better man. We're stayin' in Little Bend so I can keep an eye on Pappy. He still misses you, just like I do, and he almost cried when I told him where we were gettin' married. I took a page outta his book, too, and bought her a Bible as a weddin' gift. I haven't written anything in it yet, but I'll try and come up with somethin' as good as what Pappy wrote in yours.

"I love you, Momma, and we'll all be here on Saturday. You rest easy now, you hear?"

Bart Maverick put his hat on, then mounted his blue roan mare and rode back down the hill. The wind blew softly and whispered to the little graveyard and somewhere, in some distant place, Isabelle Grayson Maverick smiled.


	2. A Change is Gonna Come

Chapter 1 – A Change is Gonna Come

I woke up on Wednesday morning and Dandy Jim Buckley was the last thing on my mind. I'd washed my hands of him, so to speak, and I wasn't gonna give it any more thought. Besides, I had the most luscious blonde in my arms, and in three short days she'd be mine forever. I must have lain there for fifteen or twenty minutes, just watching her breathe. She'd only moved back into our bedroom two days ago, wantin' to be sure that the lung that had been so damaged by an outlaw's bullet was healed before we got married. Her name is Doralice Donovan, and mine's Bart Maverick. One more thing. Doralice is the most beautiful creature that God ever saw fit to create.

My brother Bret would argue that point; he believes the woman he loves, Pinkerton detective Captain Ginny Malone, would claim the title. To be fair, Ginny would indeed be a contender, assuming you like curvaceous redheads with startling blue eyes. I still believe my fiancé is the better looking of the two. As for Bret . . . he's older than I am, by seventeen months, and he thinks that makes him wiser. Not in this life or any other.

Me and Bret have been what most people call 'roving gamblers' our whole lives. We traveled around the country playing poker for a living; that is, until about four months ago when I realized that everything I'd ever wanted was right here in our hometown of Little Bend, Texas. Namely, Mrs. Doralice Donovan.

Well, to be accurate, Mrs. Doralice Donovan Medina. Technically she was a widow, having shot and killed her husband while he was attempting to strangle her. She was tried and found guilty of murder in his native Mexico in a one-sided trial, and I was dispatched to Mexico to steal her away from the Federales and bring her home. But that's another story.

Back to Bret and roving. Doralice and me had been friends for years when it finally turned into something more. A lot more. Her mother owned the biggest saloon within two-hundred miles, and when I realized I was in love with her daughter, Maude gave me a position as the Floor Manager. Well, gave ain't the right word . . . I'd more than earned it. I didn't know it at the time, but she gave me a ten percent ownership in the saloon, too. I asked Doralice to marry me, and she said yes. And Bret, who'd helped talk me out of gettin' married more than once before, was not inclined to talk me out of this one.

Bret was here in town the night the cowboy decided he wanted to rob the saloon. He pulled a gun on Doralice and panicked; I decided to play hero and jumped in front of her. Thus the damaged lung. I was finally well enough that we could finish what we'd started, and we were gettin' married this Saturday, providing nothing else happened to delay the wedding.

I was still watching her breathe when my arm went numb. I tried to pull it from under her as gently as possible and almost succeeded when her eyelashes fluttered, and I knew she was awake. "Mornin'," I told her, and got a fetching smile in return.

"Hi ya, handsome," was her reply, and a sweet kiss followed. "Is it Saturday yet?"

"Nope, baby, it's only Wednesday. You gonna make it?"

She closed her eyes. "Can we just sleep till then?"

"You wish. Don't you have a final fitting on your dress this afternoon?"

"Oh, I do. What about you? What are you gonna do?"

"Take my brother to breakfast, if it's not too late. Then I'm goin' out to Uncle Ben's to see Lily Mae."

"I guess we better get up. Unless you have a better idea," she suggested slyly.

"I have lots of better ideas," I replied, and started kissing her left earlobe.

"Remember what we agreed," she reminded me. We'd decided we were adult enough to sleep in the same bed, but wait until our wedding night to make love. Right now that decision was killing me, and I groaned in agony.

"Too late to change my mind?" I gathered her as close to me as I could get her, hoping that the heat from my body would convince her to change her mind, too. She laughed and pulled away from me.

"You promised." Beggin' and pleadin' wasn't gonna do any good, so I ran my fingers down her face and neck and just kept going until she grabbed my hand and stopped me. She repeated it, real slow. "You promised."

I sighed, acknowledging the legitimacy of her statement. "Then one of us has to get out of this bed, and I think it better be you."

She slid over and slipped out of bed. "I'll go make coffee. Come out when you can get up."

That was gonna take a few minutes.

XXXXXXXX

It wasn't too late to take Bret to breakfast. I found him at the saloon, sound asleep in my office. He stirred when I opened the door. "What time is it?" he murmured.

"Almost eight o'clock," I answered. "You spend the night here?"

"Yeah," he mumbled. "You need a sofa in here."

"I'll remember that for next time. You feel like breakfast?" Knowing my brother, he was always ready for food.

"Sure. Gettin' nervous yet?"

I shook my head. There was nothin' to get nervous about . . . I couldn't wait to marry Doralice. We'd been forced to wait too long already. That reminded me, I had a question of my own for Bret.

"Any chance that Beauty's gonna make it to the wedding?" Beauty was what I called Ginny.

Bret grinned. "I forgot to tell you, I got a telegram yesterday. She should be here tomorrow on the afternoon stage. She appreciated your thoughtfulness in delaying the weddin' so she could get here."

"I'm glad she recognized the gesture," was my reply. Doralice would be pleased that Malone was gonna be there – they'd become good friends.

We walked up the street to Sawyer's Country Café. I hadn't seen Sawyer Bedford, the woman that owned the place, in a long time. Brother Bret had a huge crush on her when we were all kids, but it never turned into anything serious. She'd lived her whole life in Little Bend, never marrying, and served as everyone's surrogate aunt.

Sawyer was there. Her hair was no longer wheat-gold but more like wheat-grey; her eyes were the same blue-green. Still as tiny as she ever was, a big smile slid across her face when we walked in. "Well, if it isn't the Maverick boys. No, wait. The Maverick men. So, Bart, you and Doralice are finally gettin' married, eh? You know how long that girl's been in love with you?"

"A long time, Sawyer. Sure glad she waited for me to come to my senses. How about you? Still pinin' away for Brother Bret here?" It had been a running joke for years between Sawyer and my brother, that she'd never married because he wasn't 'available.' Personally, I always thought there was some truth to the rumor, but both of them just laughed about it.

"Yeah, but I think I'm about over it. Besides, Beauregard told me he's got a girl. A real live girl."

"That's true," Bret finally spoke. "And she'll be here tomorrow. I'll bring her up to meet you sometime. You doin' the food for the shindig at Maude's after the wedding?"

"Yes, we are. But the fried chicken is gonna be from Lily Mae's recipe. Doralice was adamant about that, and Lily Mae agreed."

Me and Bret both laughed. "Sounds like Doralice," I announced.

"And Lily Mae," Bret added.

"You okay with that, Sawyer?"

"Sure, everybody knows Lily Mae's fried chicken is the best in the state. Someday I'll talk her into givin' me the recipe. If I'm lucky." She looked from Bret to me. "Same as usual, Bart?"

"Yes, ma'am." That meant coffee, two eggs, potatoes and toast.

Next came Bret. "You too?"

My brother nodded. Three eggs, coffee, potatoes and . . .

"Bacon, bacon, bacon?" Sawyer laughed when she posed the question.

And Bret laughed when he answered it. "Yes, ma'am. You know I still love the stuff."

"Some things never change."

My brother looked at me with one of those killer dimple smiles on his face. "And some things do."


	3. The Senorita

Chapter 2 – The Señorita

Bret decided to stay in town, so I sent him to our house to use the spare bedroom while I rode out to Uncle Ben's. It was a beautiful day and me and Blue enjoyed the trip. She's a sweet girl, my little blue roan, and seems to be happy whenever we go someplace.

I unsaddled her and turned her loose in the corral and then went into the house through the back door. I figured to surprise Lily Mae but she was one step ahead of me, as usual, and was waiting for me with a kiss, a hug, and a fresh cup of coffee. "You look good, Mr. B. How're you feelin'?"

I took off my hat and sat down at the table. "Feelin' great, Lily Mae. Can't wait for Saturday. How are you? These two old codgers drive you crazy yet?"

"Pshaw. They couldn't if they tried. Seriously, you all healed from the gunshot?"

I had to laugh. Lily was still worried about me, even after all this time. "Yes, ma'am. I promise I'm fine. Would I have ridden all the way out here just to see you if I wasn't?"

Lily laughed right along with me. "No, I guess you wouldn't have. Didn't Bret come with you?"

"Nope. He worked for Maude last night, and he's gonna work the rest of the week, so he's probably asleep right now in my spare bedroom. Speakin' of Bret, I took him to breakfast this mornin' and we got to visit with Sawyer Bedford. She says you're doin' the fried chicken for the party on Saturday, cause Doralice insisted. Is that true?"

"Now, don't you fret. I'm not cookin', I'm just mixin' the batter and supervisin'. I ain't ready to give away that recipe just yet. Doralice asked me for my fried chicken, and you two are gonna have it. Sawyer can handle the rest of it . . . she's even gonna make Texas Pecan Pie. That oughta put you and your pa in hog heaven."

Dear, sweet Lily Mae. Didn't she know I was already gonna be in hog heaven? "Lily . . . I came out here to tell you somethin'. Somethin' that's important. . . least it's important to me."

"Mr. B., you look awful serious. What's wrong?"

I swallowed hard and launched into what I'd wanted to tell her for a long time. "You been a momma to me as long as I can remember. You took care of me when I was sick, worried about me when I was gone, bathed me when I couldn't bathe myself. You loved me when I didn't deserve it and spanked me when I did. You kept tryin' to fatten me up and went out of your way to fix my favorites just so I'd eat. You let me cry on your shoulder when I needed to, and never once betrayed a confidence. You've taken care of me practically my whole life, and I just wanted to say thank you." I leaned over and kissed her on her cheek. "And to tell you one more time that I love you."

And Lily Mae did just what I was afraid she was gonna do. She burst into tears.

"Lily, honey, don't cry. I didn't tell you all that to make you cry." I took out my kerchief and began to wipe her tears away, which just made her cry harder.

"I . . . I . . . I . . . know you did. . . . did . . . didn't. I just can't he . . . he . . . help it."

So I did what any good 'son' would do. I gathered her into my arms and let her cry.

XXXXXXXX

It took longer than I expected, but Lily finally stopped sobbing. She clutched my handkerchief and wiped her eyes with it, and we sat a few more minutes in silence while she gathered her thoughts.  
"I never tried to take your momma's place, Mr. B."

"I know you didn't, Lily. And I loved you more for it. You just did the best you could with us, and all we did was our best to drive you crazy. It couldn't have been easy, with three little boys and two grown men that acted like little boys a lot of the time."

"It wasn't. But it was worth it, every time one of you put your arms around my neck, or showed me what you'd done in school, or came to me when you was hurt. You all needed me, and you made me your confidant in everything. You all three trusted me with your darkest secrets. Like the time . . . well, never mind that."

I hugged her again. "You loved us, Lily, and we all knew that. And that was what we needed, more than anything else. I just wanted you to know . . . that I loved you back. I still do, and I always will. And I want you to know that no matter what happens in the future, you've always got a home with me and Doralice."

I got a big kiss then, from my surrogate momma. And I gave her a big kiss back.

XXXXXXXX

It was about an hour later, and I was out in the barn with Noble. The old man really was an old man now, but he was still chasin' the mares around and tryin' to remember why. I knew that Melody had been hangin' around with Gracie Junior after Gracie passed and I could find the hound, but there was no sign of Melody. I was just about to give up and go back in the house when I heard what sounded like a familiar 'Brrrrrrruuuppp'. I looked everywhere and finally found a little bitty kitten that looked just like her momma? Grandma? Great-Grandma? I had convinced myself that I must have been imagining things, but as I picked the kitten up that same 'Brrrrrrruuuppp' came out of her mouth. And then she looked at me and rubbed up against my chin, and I knew I was once again in trouble.

When I walked back into the house I still had the Señorita in my arms, and she was purring for all she was worth. "Look what I found," I told Lily, and she squealed like a two-year-old.

"I haven't seen this one before. She looks just like Melody, doesn't she?" A beautiful brown tabby, with a white face and four white paws. And those eyes.

About that time a loud 'Brrrrrrruuuppp' came out of the wee one and she looked at me like I was her momma. I'd seen that look before, from Melody, and hoped that Doralice would understand when I brought home our new boarder. We needed somebody to keep the mice at bay, and who better than the Señorita? I got another chin rub, and she snuggled right down into the crook of my arm.

"What's your bride-to-be gonna say?" Lily asked.

"About time you got somethin' to help with the mice?" At least that's what I was hopin' she'd say.

"Here, set her down on the floor. I've got some leftover bacon I can give her." And that's how we discovered that the Señorita was as big a bacon lover as my brother.

"Bartley." I almost jumped out of my skin. Me and Lily Mae had been payin' so much attention to the kitten that neither of us heard Pappy come downstairs. "One of Melody's, I assume?"

About that time the Señorita looked up and let out with a big 'Brrrrrrruuuppp.' "That answers that question, Pappy."

"I guess it does. You takin' it home?"

"I am, and she's a girl."

"And Doralice . . . ?"

"Will no doubt fall in love with her. Besides, we need her. City mice, you know." The kitten had wrestled the bacon into oblivion, and I bent down and picked her up again. She wasn't a bit scared, just curious.

"You just come to visit?"

I nodded. "I had some things to tell Lily Mae. I wanted to see her before the wedding."

"How you feelin'? You look good."

We walked back to the front of the house, and out onto the porch. Pappy reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigar. "Want one?"

I accepted the offering, still holding on to the kitten with the other hand, and sat down in one of the rockers; Pappy took the other. As soon as I was sittin' down, the Señorita crawled into my lap and curled up, allowing me to pull out a match and light both cigars. Me and Pappy sat and rocked and smoked, and the kitten slept. It was a quiet, peaceful afternoon shared by father and son, and I was grateful we had it. It was the last alone time we would have together for a long, long time.


	4. Saturday

Chapter 3 – Saturday

I got an old shirt of Pappy's and made a sort of bag for the Señorita to ride back to town in, much like Melody had ridden home from the Trinity River where I found her. All in all she took it well and was calm and sleepy when I stopped in front of the house. I tied Blue up to the hitching post and carried the kitten inside, wondering if there was anyone home. It didn't take me long to find out.

Doralice came out of our bedroom and looked at the bundle I had in my arms skeptically. "What is that?"

"This? This is the solution to our problem."

"Which problem would that be?" she asked.

Just about that time a mouse scurried across the kitchen floor, and the bundle I was holding began wiggling frantically. I set the 'bag' down and the Señorita came racing out and caught the rodent before it had a chance to escape. In a few seconds it was all over, and our newest addition to the family dragged the mouse across the floor and deposited what was left of it at Doralice's feet. She sat there with a smug look on her face, scarcely bigger than the prey she'd captured.

"I see," pronounced my blue-eyed beauty. "Well, I can't very well argue with a statement like that. Is she one of Melody's?" Before I could answer, the kitten let loose with a resoundingly familiar 'Brrrrrrruuuppp.' "Alright, Missy. And what's your name?"

"She doesn't have one yet. I've just been callin' her Señorita. You get to name her."

Doralice laughed. "I'll have to think on that for a while. I'll let you know when I've come up with just the right moniker for her."

I didn't hear any other sounds in the house. "Is Bret gone already?"

She nodded. "Yes. Said he had something to do before he went to work. He left about an hour ago."

"And did you get into the saloon today?"

I could tell from the way her eyes sparkled that she had. "I did, for a while. Got all my ledgers caught up and balanced the way they should be. I have to admit, workin' with Bret is a lot easier than tryin' to figure out Dandy's chicken scratches."

I had no doubt of that, since Bret was honest and Dandy was . . . well, Dandy was Dandy. "Good. Then the next couple days should be easy."

"Nope. Maude says I'm done until after the wedding. She said I need to be sure I take good care of you this time, so that nothin' happens like the last time."

I took two steps forward to where Doralice was standing and wrapped her in my arms. "In that case, I know exactly what we can do. It's certainly safe and we don't even have to leave the house."

Doralice giggled. "We've discussed this once already today."

I was about ready to mount another argument when someone knocked at the door. "Now who's come to disturb us?" And we weren't the only ones bein' disturbed. The Señorita ran into the spare bedroom and under the bed.

"Probably Maude. She said she wanted to go over things for the party with us tonight."

But it wasn't Maude, it was Bethany Miller, the seamstress. "Bethany, come in, please. Thank you for coming over."

Now I was confused. Doralice had bought a dress in Claytonville before I was shot and yet Bethany Miller had arrived with something that looked like it was covering a dress. So I wouldn't see it, perhaps?

"Baby, I don't understand. You bought a dress . . . "

She didn't let me get any further. "I know I did, but after what happened . . . I thought maybe it was bad luck. So . . . "

"She had me make a different dress," Bethany finished. "Is there someplace you can try this on?"

"Don't worry, I'm leavin' for a while." I hadn't intended to, but I had no desire to get in the bride-to-be's way.

"Bart . . . don't go to Maude's, please."

Funny . . . I was just thinkin' about that. I understood why she wanted me to stay away from Maude's. Superstition, fear, worry about a repeat of the bad luck that had befallen us the last time we were set to get married; call it what you will, I had no desire to tempt fate, either. "I won't." I left the house and headed for the LB Bar; the long familiar was exactly what I craved.

I walked through the batwing doors and smiled. It didn't look exactly the same as it had when I was growin' up; not too long ago there'd actually been some improvements made to the place, but it was close enough to the way it looked for years to still be familiar. Besides, Ray Ames was behind the bar dispensing drinks. He'd been there since I was ten years old and came to play poker here for the first time. Ray saw me and poured a cup of coffee for me at the bar.

"You lost, Bart?"

I shook my head. "No, Ray, it was requested that I not go to Maude's before Saturday."

"Superstitious?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

He nodded and laughed nervously. "Don't think I'd leave the house."

"I wasn't going to, but Doralice is having her wedding dress fitted . . . "

"Yeah, that don't sound like fun."

"How long were you married, Ray?"

A wistful look passed across his face. "Twenty-seven years. We'd still be married if Jenny was alive."

"How's your daughter doin'?" Susie Ames had been friends with Cora Stampers, the older girl that had tried her best to seduce me the summer I was thirteen. Susie had married young and moved away from Little Bend, but I couldn't remember where.

The smile returned to Ray's face. "Good, she's doin' good. Her and her husband are livin' in Oregon, raisin' fruit trees and babies. They got four of 'em now. Babies, I mean."

My turn to smile. Babies. There's somethin' I hadn't thought much about before, but I was sure thinkin' about 'em now. I'd dreamt about havin' sons and daughters, but I hadn't been actively thinkin' about raisin' a family. Until now. Or maybe it was just the action needed to have sons and daughters. I shook my head. I desperately wanted to make love to Doralice, but there was that pesky promise I'd made, that she wasn't gonna forget any time before Saturday. It had been weeks since I'd been able to do anything more than kiss and cuddle with her. I sighed and finished my coffee. Ray went to pour me another cup but I shook my head. "I gotta find a poker game," I told him. And that's just what I did.

XXXXXXXX

There was a lot on my mind, and when I find myself in that situation I usually play poker. I seem to think better when I'm playin.' And then I lost track of time, and it was near midnight the next time I paid any attention. After the next hand I gathered my money, put it in my wallet, and thanked everyone for the game. I tipped my hat to Ray and hurried back to the house.

I opened the door and almost fell over the Señorita. "Bart?" Doralice called from our bedroom. "Is that you?"

"It better be," I answered. "Sorry it's so late."

"Playing poker?"

"Yep." I walked into the bedroom and quickly turned and walked back out.

"Where are you going?" she called after me.

"To the other bedroom. Where it's safe." I'd made a promise, and I was going to keep it. Even if it killed me.

"I love you," I heard her say.

"I love you, too," I answered. I undressed and crawled into bed. The Señorita crawled in next to me. It was a long time between now and Saturday.


	5. Lucy Makes Herself at Home

Chapter 4 – Lucy Makes Herself at Home

I woke up Thursday morning, well aware that it still wasn't Saturday, and groaned loudly. The only thing wrong with me was the fact that I was in bed, alone, while the woman I loved was in the other bedroom. "Bart," she called, "are you alright?"

"No," I answered.

"What's wrong?"

"Come on in here and I'll show you what's wrong."

I heard giggling from our bedroom and knew that she hadn't taken the bait. "Lucy," she called.

"Lucy who?"

"The Señorita's name is Lucy."

I blinked and felt around the bed; the kitten wasn't there. She must be in bed with Doralice. Where I should be. "Alright. I'm gonna get up and feed her. We still got some of that salt pork from yesterday?"

"We do. Will you make coffee while you're in there?"

"If you'll join me and give me a proper good morning." I knew that would bring her out into the kitchen, so I rolled out of bed, pulled on my pants and padded out to start the coffee. In less than five minutes Doralice had joined me, and at least my arms were full of the woman I loved. I was in the process of kissing her hungrily when we were interrupted by a loud 'Meow!' Staring down at the floor I was met by an angry glare. I broke away from Doralice reluctantly and took care of my other girl. "Good morning to you, too, Lucy," I told her, and she daintily accepted her breakfast from me. I went right back to kissing Doralice.

I knew better than to keep that up for too long, so I poured us both some coffee while Doralice went back to the bedroom and put on a robe. When she joined me in the front room there was a look of concern on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Maude never came by last night."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe she just got busy."

"Maybe."

"Let's get dressed and we'll see if she's at the saloon. We can take her with us to breakfast."

"And if she's not?"

I grinned at my girl. "We can still have breakfast."

"You're getting as bad as your brother about food."

"I could never be as bad as Bret. I didn't have supper last night."

"And whose fault is that?" she asked me, teasingly.

"Lucy's."

"Remind me why I'm marrying you?"

"Go get dressed," I told her as I swatted at her bottom.

I did the same, and a few minutes later we were on our way to Maude's. The saloon, I mean. The front doors were locked and we both dug for our keys; I found mine first and we were soon inside. The bar area itself was dark but there was a light on in Maude's office. Doralice practically ran across the floor, and I followed as fast as I could. We were both worried.

Doralice stopped abruptly at Maude's door and I came to a halt right on her heels. I'm surprised we didn't both burst out laughing. Maude was draped across her desk, sound asleep, and my brother was stretched out on the sofa she kept in her office, snoring, with both his boots and his hat on the floor next to him. I grabbed blue-eyes by the elbow and pulled her about ten feet away from the doorway. "They've been workin' too hard," I whispered to her. "I think we need to send 'em both home."

"I think we better feed 'em first," she suggested, and went back and knocked on the office door. Maude sat up abruptly and blinked once or twice; Bret quit snoring.

"Oh," Maude murmured. "Oh." She reached for the ever-present brandy glass, but it was empty. Bret tried to turn over on the sofa and practically snorted himself awake. He struggled to sit up, a dazed look in his eyes, and stared blankly at the two of us.

"Time?" he asked abruptly, and I chuckled.

"Way past bedtime," I replied, and Bret glared at me. "Almost eight. You goin' somewhere?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

He started to shake his head and thought better of it. "Maude, you alright?"

"Mmm-hmm. But I sure am hungry."

Doralice looked at her mother with concern. "We were worried, Maude. Remember, you were supposed to come by last night?"

"Oh, I was, wasn't I? Well, we got busy and before I knew it we'd closed, and then Bret came in to wait for me to close out the books and we were gonna go eat . . . and I guess we both fell asleep."

"Doesn't Cristian worry when you don't come home?"

"Probably, but he knows where I am."

Bret began pulling on his boots. "Enough chit-chat. I'm starved, and you two are buyin.' Let's go."

XXXXXXXX

It was the second time in a little over twenty-four hours that me and Bret had been to Sawyer's Country Café, but Sawyer wasn't out front this morning. She was takin' inventory to make sure she had everything she needed for the party on Saturday, and Lulabelle took care of our table. As soon as coffee had been poured and breakfast was ordered, Doralice proposed what we'd discussed earlier – the two of us workin' the saloon today and Maudie and Bret goin' home to get some sleep. You would have thought we'd suggested murder.

"No. Absolutely not. No, no, no. You know what happened the last time you two worked." Maude was almost angry that we dared to suggest such a thing.

All Bret said was, "I don't think it's a good idea."

I tried to appeal to his poker rationale. "Look, you know what the odds are of somethin' like that happenin' again. We'll be perfectly fine. The two of you are exhausted and we're bored out of our minds. You go home and get some sleep, and you can come back tomorrow."

"No. No, no, no, no. I want a son-in-law, not a corpse." The harder Maude objected, the more I could see Bret wavering.

"How about it, Bret? I promise we'll take every possible precaution. What would it look like if the mother of the bride and the best man fell asleep instead of helpin' us to celebrate?"

Doralice knew which way this was headed and appealed to her almost-brother-in-law. "You really would be doing us a favor. A big favor. It gets you both the sleep you need, and it would keep us from . . . well, from drivin' each other crazy." And then we proceeded to sit and stare at Bret until he finally sighed.

"Alright, alright. You know I can't say no to those eyes. Give it up, Maude, they're not gonna leave us alone until we agree. Besides, Bart's right. The odds are in their favor." He was momentarily stopped as breakfast arrived. By the time Lulabelle had gotten everything put in front of the right person, I could read the weariness on Maude's face.

"I'll agree to it on one condition. The two of you go home at midnight and let Randy close up."

"Done. And Brother Bret, be careful when you go to the back bedroom to sleep. Watch out for Lucy."

"Lucy?"

"We have a new kitten. She's one of Melody's and she's a little thing, but she's a real good mouser already."

My brother stared at me for a good minute or more before rolling his eyes.

"Great. Lucy. Anything else?"

"Nope. That's all. Just don't step on her."

He mumbled something under his breath but I didn't hear what he said. "What was that?" I asked.

"Nothin,' my brother replied. "Just nothin'."


	6. Risk and Reward

Chapter 5 – Risk and Reward

When breakfast was over Maude headed home and Bret went to our house, hopefully to lie down and sleep for a good, long time. In just a few minutes we were at the saloon, now open thanks to Randy.

"Well, what are you two doin' here? I thought Maude wouldn't let either one of you work this close to the weddin'."

Doralice laughed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She was gettin' as bad as me with the stuff. "We came in a little before eight this morning and found Maude asleep at her desk and Bret asleep on her settee. Took 'em to breakfast and sent 'em both home to sleep. That's why the place was locked up when you got here."

"I wondered where everybody was. Usually Miss Maude beats me in."

"They never left last night, Randy," I explained. "Neither one of them could have worked today. What's on the agenda?"

"Mr. Bret and me was gonna do inventory on the liquor today. You up for it?"

I nodded. "It'll keep us occupied. Blue-eyes, you take care of the bar? Holler for one of us if it gets busy." I leaned over and kissed her, then followed Randy back to the storage room. Good thing I hadn't gotten dressed up to go to breakfast.

This was the less than glamorous side of runnin' a saloon. Once every week or ten days inventory had to be taken and an order placed. Most of our liquor supplies came from Austin, except for the beer that we bought locally. And a bottle or two of moonshine that we kept on hand just in case.

We worked for three or four hours; sometimes I lifted and counted bottles, and sometimes Randy did. Finally I called a temporary halt to the proceedings . . . I needed a few minutes off my feet and a big glass of water. I'd just sat down at a table up front when Dave Parker walked in.

"Takin' it easy, Bart?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Takin' inventory," I responded.

"Don't look like inventory to me."

I took another big drink of water and continued, ignoring his remark, "Ok, what did I do wrong now?"

Dave shook his head. "You gotta stop doin' that. You're a respected citizen now; every time I show up here, it ain't to run you outta town. I just come by to let you know that you're gonna need a new bartender. Billy Adams ran off with Molly Sutter last night; Ralph Sutter came by the office to file a complaint and see if I'd go runnin' after 'em."

"Billy Adams? Damn, he was one of Maude's best, too. And Molly Sutter? She can't be no more than sixteen or seventeen."

"Fifteen, to be precise. Which, as you'll remember, is old enough to get married or do just about anything else she wants to. Which is what I told old man Sutter, and he was none too happy about it."

I let out a sigh. The whole situation sounded all too familiar. "Well, there's nothin' to be done about it now. We'll just hafta make do."

"Make do with what? Hi, Dave. How're things down at the jail?" Doralice had heard my last remark and came over to see what we were talkin' about.

"Billy Adams and Molly Sutter ran off, and Ralph's makin' all kinda noise about raisin' hell with Maude's for hirin' the boy."

Doralice shook her head. "Billy's not much more than a kid himself. What's Ralph gonna do? They're both legal age."

Randy was headed our way, with a piece of paper in his hands. "Just found this, Mr. Bart. It was behind the bar and I didn't see it till now."

He handed me the note. It was addressed to Maude. _'Mrs. Donovan – Sorry to leave you high and dry, but we couldn't wait no longer. We just wanna be together and happy, like Mr. Maverick and Miss Donovan. Hope you understand. Billy Adams.'_

I handed it to Doralice, who read it and passed it along to Dave. "Can I keep this?" he asked.

"Sure. Let Ralph Sutter make all the noise he wants. If he wants to find 'em he can look himself."

I nodded and shook Dave's hand. "I gotta finish the inventory with Randy. See you Saturday, Sheriff?"

"You better believe it. I wouldn't miss a Maverick's weddin' for the world. It's a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence."

Doralice and me looked at each other. We both knew better, but it didn't matter. "Yes, it is, Dave. This will be the only time I ever say 'I do.'" That was the truth. When I married Caroline I never said 'I do,' I think I answered everything 'uh-huh.'

Blue-eyes smiled and nodded. "Took me long enough to catch him, Dave. I have no intention of lettin' him get away."

Randy joined me on the way back to the storage room and it took us almost an hour to finish what we'd started. When the physical count was done I sat down with my bride-to-be, and we figured out what to order, based on Maude's instructions for a twenty-five percent increase in everything to replenish what we'd use come Saturday. When we were finally done I checked my pocket watch; it was time for me to go home, get cleaned up and change clothes to finish out my night as Floor Manager.

I was as quiet as could be when I walked in . . . I assumed my brother was still asleep in the spare room. I got cleaned up, shaved and changed clothes before ducking into the back room to check on Bret. He was lying in bed with his eyes closed and Lucy in his arms. So much for his muttering earlier in the day about our newest addition. I was just about to leave when I heard his voice. "Got yourself a real sweet little girl here, Bart. She took to me right away." I looked again and his eyes were open and the dimples were on full display. Lucy wiggled around in his arms for a minute before settling back down. "Get done with the inventory?"

"Yep. I was just goin' back there now. Anything else you need done tonight?"

"Yeah. Stay outta trouble."

"Right, Pappy."

XXXXXXXX

By the time I got back to Maude's, I was hungry. Doralice left Randy in charge and the two of us went to the south end of town, where Mamacita's had stood for years and years. After a quick meal we made our way back to Maude's, just in time to hear Randy politely asking Ralph Sutter to either quit yelling or leave . . . pointing out that Mrs. de la Torres wasn't in the saloon and there wasn't anything she could do to help Sutter, anyway. Of course Ralph saw us come through the doors and immediately shifted his verbal assault to Doralice. "Where's your mother?" he practically yelled at her, and I stepped between them.

I know, not the smartest move on my part, but I was operating on pure instinct. "Not gonna accomplish anything by yellin', Ralph. Why don't you come sit with me and tell me what I can do to help." I motioned to Randy for a bottle and a glass, and he handed me both. Doralice hurried back to her office and closed the door, and I took Sutter to a table and poured him a drink. He downed it and I poured another. When that one was gone he began to talk, and he was a lot calmer than he'd been at the door.

Personally, I don't think he wanted anything more than to rant and rave to someone who was listening to him, and it seemed I would do. It was all the usual stuff . . . Billy was a no good who'd lured his sweet, innocent Molly away with promises filled with lies. Maude never should have hired someone as despicable as Billy. Never mind that Billy was a local boy who'd grown up in Little Bend and was never in trouble in his short life, or that Molly and her father had only lived here a little over two years. I let him go on as long as he didn't start yellin' again, and eventually poured him another drink. It took about twenty minutes, but Ralph finally calmed down and actually apologized for bein' so upset before he left.

After he'd been gone for about ten minutes I took the rest of the bottle and the dirty glass back to Randy. As he reached out to take them from me, he had a grin on his face. "You sure handled that good, boss. How'd you know what to do?"

"Lots of practice bein' thrown out of places," I replied. "You learn what'll work and what won't. Sutter just wanted to yell at somebody."

"You took an awful chance. How'd you know he wouldn't shoot you?"

"That was easy," I told Randy. "He wasn't wearin' a gun."


	7. The Unexpected Guest

Chapter 6 – The Unexpected Guest

The rest of the evening was routine. Nobody got caught cheating, tried to start a fight, or attempted to rob us. Quiet and peaceful. Business was slow enough that we could easily honor Maude's request to leave at midnight and let Randy close up.

Bret was gone when we got home. I don't know whether he went to the hotel or went back to Uncle Ben's house, but I was glad I was still gonna have the spare bedroom to myself tonight. It was hard enough falling asleep when I knew that the woman I loved was one room over – it was near impossible when she was in the same bed, and I'd made a promise to her about remaining chaste until marriage.

I heard Doralice feeding Lucy in the kitchen, so I went into our bedroom and got a nightshirt. This was my first day at the saloon and I was worn out, plus we'd done liquor inventory today and I was sure I wouldn't have any trouble sleeping. I heard some movement and looked up to see Doralice standing in the doorway, Lucy in her arms. "Somebody needs to go outside, and I don't want to let her out by herself. Can you take her?"

Two precious faces stared at me hopefully, and I sighed. "Of course. Come on, Miss Lucy," I responded as my lady handed her over.

I shuffled outside and a few feet away from the front door, in a big patch of grass. I set the kitten down carefully, and she scampered away to a spot more private. We didn't have much of a porch, just enough to hold a single rocking chair, and I sat down and lit the cigar I'd brought with me. The moon was up and almost full and there was more than enough light to see by, so it was easy enough to keep track of the small brown tabby.

I took a draw on the cigar and blew out smoke, thinking about everything that was gonna happen in the next forty-eight hours. When Samantha Crawford had 'convinced' me to marry Caroline, I was more or less in a daze. I couldn't believe I'd gotten myself into a situation where the only honorable thing to do was keep my promise to Sam and marry her cousin. Not that I'm always an honorable man . . . but Sam had more or less saved my life, and I was kinda forced to be.

I was in no daze now. It was easy to marry Doralice; I'd been good friends with her for a long time, and ignoring my attraction to her for almost as long. One day I opened my eyes and finally admitted that I loved her, and not just a little. Enough that spending the rest of my life with her became the most important thing in that life. And almost before I knew it I was sitting on the porch somewhere after midnight smoking a cigar and watching a tail bob back and forth in the grass.

I thought about all the ladies I'd had the pleasure of knowing; the cities and towns I'd visited and been thrown out of; the jail cells I'd gotten to know from the inside-out. The situations I'd found myself in and the stunts I'd pulled, both good and bad. How many times I'd come too close to a rope around the neck or a bullet in the belly. And how easy all of that had been to give up and put behind me when I found the one I couldn't live without. Pappy was right, when I finally quit sleepin' and opened my eyes, she was right in front of me, and there was no doubt in my mind. None whatsoever.

I heard a soft 'Brrrrrrruuuppp' and looked down to find big yellow eyes watching me curiously. "All done?" I asked, and got another 'Brrrrrrruuuppp' in answer. "Let's go to bed then, shall we?" I threw away what little was left of the cigar and picked up the small furry beast that was waiting patiently for me to exit my reverie. One more night after tonight and I never had to be alone in that bed, or by myself in life, again.

XXXXXXXX

I felt a warmth, a presence next to me in bed, and assumed it was Lucy. So you can imagine my surprise when I reached out to pet her and felt cool, soft skin rather than fur. "Mornin', handsome," a familiar voice said, and I slowly opened my eyes. It was already bright outside, which meant I'd slept longer than usual.

"Hey, blue eyes, what time is it?"

"Almost ten o'clock," she giggled, and about three seconds later our small furry beast joined us. 'Brrrrrrruuuppp' Lucy remarked as she bumped my chin.

"My girls," I murmured, still half asleep. "Is it Saturday yet?"

"No, silly, you wouldn't be here if it was." I'd forgotten, I was going to Uncle Ben's tonight . . . one last night spent in the house with my father and brother. One more tradition that we'd agreed to observe. Before I could ask, there was a cup of coffee being held under my nose. My eyes were wide-open now, and what I found myself staring at was truly beautiful. "You still feel like goin' down to the river?"

We'd talked yesterday about spending the day at the river; I liked the idea. So many of my early years were spent with my brothers at the riverside; when it was too hot to even breathe, there was always the river. And as I grew older, there were even more memories involving the ladies at the river; I wanted to spend one more afternoon there with my best girl before she became my wife. Doralice had thought it an excellent idea.

"I sure do. You think we can take the little one with us? I hate to think of her all by herself all day, she's gonna get enough of that tomorrow."

The blonde head bobbed up and down. "I don't see why not. She seems to like stickin' close to us anyway. Do you want some breakfast, or is coffee enough? I've already got a basket packed for us."

"You put a bottle of wine in there?"

"Yes, and two glasses. Or should I bring three?"

I was laughing as I climbed out of bed. "Let's not start her on wine just yet, darlin'. Now scoot on outta here so I can get dressed."

She blew me a kiss and took Lucy, closing the door behind them. I was ready for this day to get started, so it would hurry up and be over.

Not much had changed in all the years I'd been coming to the river, except that trees that were small when I was a boy were now tall and strong. Everything was green and cool, especially for the end of June, and it wasn't long before we'd found just the right spot and laid down our blanket. We ate and drank wine and laughed, watching Lucy chase grasshoppers and anything else that caught her attention. After lunch we napped, and I didn't mind being a pillow for this beauty that I was gonna marry tomorrow. It was rather pleasurable, holding her in my arms and not having to wonder if we would be compatible or not. I woke before she did, and found myself at the river's edge skipping stones across the water. One, two, three, four, five, six hops the last one took, and I remembered the first night I ever made it take four. It was the night that . . . well, let's just say it was a long time ago.

"You make it look easy."

I turned and saw Doralice sitting up, holding Lucy. "It is, for me. Bret, too. Now Beau . . . he was another story."

"No good at it?"

"Nope. Never could get the stone to bounce more than a couple times."

"It's a shame he can't make it for the wedding."

Beau and his wife Danielle had recently become first-time parents – to twins, as a matter of fact. For two obvious reasons he couldn't get here from Baton Rouge. "I know, but I understand. Can you just imagine havin' two newborns at the same time?"

Doralice laughed. "Not in my wildest dreams." I walked back to the blanket and started gathering up everything we'd brought with us. "Time to go already?"

"I've got a lot to do. Still gotta pack for tomorrow and get out to Ben's house in time for supper. Lily Mae'd beat me within an inch of my life if I was late." I bent down and offered blue-eyes my hand. "Come on. Just remember who insisted on this silly tradition."

"I know. Here, take Lucy. She's got her belly full, and I don't wanna wake her up."

I took the small bundle she handed me, who didn't make a sound. "I could have said the same thing about you."

XXXXXXXX

A couple hours later I was all packed and in the buggy on the way to Ben's house. Leaving Doralice at our place with just Lucy for company and protection hadn't been easy; I'd gathered her into my arms and kissed her tenderly for several minutes, forcing myself to step away before the kisses got passionate. "I love you, Mrs. Donovan. And I'm so glad I never have to call you that again." I paused while she giggled. "Please, please stay safe. I'll see you tomorrow, up on the hill. If you decide to run, you better run before noon." She kept right on giggling as I waved goodbye while pulling away. "Please just keep her safe," I said out loud.

When I arrived at Ben's, I pulled the buggy inside the barn and unhitched the horse, then grabbed my gear and went in the back door. Lily Mae was in the kitchen, cooking supper, and Pappy and Ben were sitting at the table drinking coffee. Bret was just coming downstairs . . . Maude had decided to go without a Floor Manager tonight, as she was closing the saloon at ten o'clock to get it ready for the shindig tomorrow. Lily kissed me on the cheek and told me sweetly, "Just like old times, honey."

I was about to take my clothes upstairs when Bret relieved me of my possessions. "Can't have the bridegroom wearin' himself out climbin' the stairs." He headed right back up the staircase, and I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"You ready, boy?" Pappy asked.

"As I'll ever be, Pappy."

"You sure about this now?"

I nodded my head vigorously. "Oh, yeah. I'm sure."

Ben put his two cents worth in. "You still got time to run, nephew."

"Nope, Ben. I WANT to marry her."

Pappy turned to Ben. "See, I told you." Then he looked back at me. "She's the one, ain't she, Bartley?"

For once, I didn't cringe when he called me Bartley. "She's the one, Pappy."

I took a seat at the table and didn't see Bret come back downstairs. "She better be the one. I ain't goin' through this again."

Then I heard a voice I hadn't heard in quite a while, and it made me jump up and turn around.

"You won't have to. He wouldn't be marrying her if she wasn't the woman for him."

I was so happy I almost cried. Instead, I just threw my arms around him.

Beauregard Jackson Maverick. Cousin Beau.


	8. The Last Night

Chapter 7 – The Last Night

"How were you able to make it?" I asked. "I figured . . . "

"I know. I was counting on you assuming I couldn't get here so we could surprise you. Danielle's mother is with her, and we have a girl that comes in to help. If you two ever have kids, better hope you don't have twins."

"How long can you stay?"

"Just a couple days. Dani needs me back there, Bart. Besides, you and Doralice will be too busy to even notice that I'm gone."

"You all better be hungry cause I made enough of this to feed a small army. Everybody find a chair."

It had been a long time since we all sat around the kitchen table and ate a meal together. The last time the five Mavericks had been together was several months ago, when Beau's twins were born. A lot had happened since then, and we spent the whole supper catching up with each other. It was quite noisy around the table until Beau asked Bret, "When are you and Ginny gonna get married?"

"Neither one of us is ready yet," Bret answered. "But she is here for the wedding."

"When did she get in?"

"This afternoon. I hope you don't mind, Bart, but I dropped her off at Maude's; she's gonna spend the night with Doralice."

Mind? I was beyond relieved. Now I knew that Doralice wouldn't be alone. "Good. I didn't want her to be by herself."

Small talk continued until we had eaten every bit of Lily Mae's food. I got up to help with the dishes and Beau pushed me back down into my chair. "Just sit still, Bart, you're gonna be doin' plenty of that pretty quick."

"Say, how about we have one more night of Maverick poker?"

"You mean real poker, don't you, Pappy?" Bret asked.

"Well of course I do. None of that cheatin' stuff you three do when it's just you playin'."

When Bret, Beau and me played poker with just us, we had a rule – whoever dealt the cards got to cheat that game. Pappy and Ben hated it and refused to play that way. Thus the term 'Maverick poker' was born.

"Good idea," Ben agreed. "You young bucks go get the poker table set up in the front room."

"I'll make a fresh pot of coffee," Lily Mae volunteered.

"You gonna play with us, Lily Mae?" I questioned.

"No, Mr. B., I think you all should play without me. The way it used to be when you were growin' up. I'm goin' to bed soon as I get the coffee on."

I kissed her cheek, and she blushed. "Thank you, Lily. For everything."

I felt Lily's hand on my face and heard her whisper, "My little boy's all grown up." She set about making the coffee, and I heard her humming softly. It was the end of something old and the beginning of something new.

XXXXXXXX

An hour later I caught Bret cheating. He'd dealt the hand, and I guess he automatically went into 'Maverick poker' mode. "Uh, Bret."

"What?"

"I saw that."

"You saw wha . . . oh. Oops. I forgot we were playin' it straight. Here, gimme the cards back and I'll do it right." Everybody threw in their hands and Bret stared at me while he re-shuffled. "Say, when did you get to be so good at spottin' that maneuver? You never used to."

"You forget, that's what I do now. Catch men tryin' to cheat the house."

Bret smirked as he asked pa, "Pappy, did he tell you he owns ten percent of Maude's now?"

Pappy shook his head. "He did not. When did that happen, son?"

"A while back. Maude just gave it to me, said it was for everything I'd done for her."

Beau grinned as he asked, "Was that before or after you asked her daughter to marry you?"

"Before, smart-aleck."

We played for another hour or so before it was time for a break. Beau went out to the front porch with me and we lit cigars. All was quiet for a few minutes until I asked, "What's it like, Beau? Really, I mean? Bein' married?"

He looked at me kind of sideways before answerin' me. "You should know, Bart. You were married before."

I shook my head. "Not really. We lived in the same house, but that was about all. Until that last night. So no, I really don't know."

"I won't lie to you, Cousin. It's hard work sometimes. But it's worth it, especially when you know she loves you as much as you love her."

"And you still feel like you?" I knew what I meant, and I could only hope that Beau understood me, too. There was just no other way to ask the question.

"Sure I do. Bein' married doesn't change that."

"That's the only thing I worry about . . . I've changed so many other things in my life . . . what if it changes me, too?"

"Oh, it will change you. But it'll just be a better version of you, that's all."

I looked him right in the eyes. "You sure?"

"Yep. Absolutely. Ask Uncle Beau, or my Pa, if you don't believe me."

Just about that time Bret stuck his head out the door. "Y'all wanna finish this game or you wanna be sittin' out here when the sun comes up?"

"Uh, no, we'll be right in."

XXXXXXXX

Poker was over, at least for this night, and I was sittin' upstairs lookin' out the window at the stars. I kept thinkin' about what Beau had said, about marriage changin' me into a better version of myself. I thought lovin' Doralice had already done that; like the way I handled the Dandy situation. There was a time when I'd have beat the livin' daylights outta him, then run him outta town and told everybody I could just what he'd done. And I'd never have covered his 'losses.' But I didn't see anything to be gained by goin' down that road, and too many people could get hurt. Especially Doralice and Maude. So I kept my head on straight and my mouth shut.

Anyway, I was sittin' there watchin' the stars when I heard somebody at my door. There was enough light that I could see the shock of black hair when he opened the door, and I knew it was Bret. "You should be in bed, asleep."

"So should you," I answered back.

"I ain't gettin' married tomorrow . . . today." He walked over and joined me at the window. "You sure you wanna do this? There's still time enough to run, ya know."

I chuckled softly. "I want this, Bret. I want this more than anything in the world. She's my Isabelle Grayson, and I'll never find another one like her."

He nodded his head. "Alright, I was just checkin.' Who'da thought all those years ago that we'd be sittin' here now, waitin' for the sun to come up on your weddin' day?"

"Who'da thought we'd be sittin' here at all?"

He slapped me on the shoulder and turned to leave. "I love you, Brother Bart."

"Me too, Brother Bret."

And he closed the door softly behind him.


	9. I Thee Wed

Chapter 8 – I Thee Wed

When I woke up this time, the sun was shining. Which was better than the last three times I'd woken, and it was still dark. I reached over and looked at my pocket watch. Seven fifteen. Rolling over, I got out of bed; my sleeping was done for this day. I pulled on my pants and followed them with a shirt, then my boots, and I was on my way downstairs.

The smell of coffee was in the air and I went straight to the kitchen; Lily Mae was the only one there. She looked up at me and grinned. "I knew you'd be the first one up. Anything besides coffee?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks. I think that's about all I could stand right now."

"Did Bret hang up all your clothes yesterday? So they're not all wrinkled. If they are I could iron 'em."

"They're fine, Lily. Sit down and quit worrying."

"Did you bring your good boots?"

"Yes, Lily Mae."

"Do they need a shine?"

I chuckled. "No, mother, I took care of that already."

She sighed and took a seat at the table. "You'd think I was the one gettin' married."

The next one downstairs was Pappy, padding through the house in his socks but no boots. "Good-mornin', son. Anything you need me to do?"

"No, Pappy, I've got it all under control."

"She's a wonderful woman, Bartley. And she loves you somethin' crazy."

"I agree with you, Pappy."

"And she's gonna make beautiful babies."

"Slow down, Pappy. I ain't even said 'I do' yet."

"You know what I mean."

"Lily Mae, we still set up for me to get a bath this mornin'?"

She reached over and patted my hand. "Yes, sir. How soon do you want it?"

"Soon as you can get it ready."

"I'll put the water on now. Be ready in about twenty minutes."

Lily was true to her word, and in less than an hour I'd bathed and shaved. When I came back to the kitchen she was busy cooking eggs and biscuits, and I was ready to eat. By this time everybody was up and hungry, and the five Mavericks ate one last meal all together at the kitchen table.

When I was done I took a cup of coffee with me and went back upstairs. I knew what I wanted to say in the Bible I'd bought for my bride, and I sat down to write it out. _'My Friend – I fell in love with a portrait – a picture of a beautiful young girl, so fresh and innocent, and I knew she couldn't be real. She was so much more than just a picture on a wall. Bright and articulate, cunning and resourceful, the most stunning creature I'd ever encountered, my true and real partner in life. I will love you until I die, and forever after that. Yours until the end of time, Bart.'_

I set the Bible next to my coat and got dressed. Black pants and boots, black and gold silk vest, white silk ruffled shirt, black coat, tie and hat. Or, as an ex-friend would have put it, dressed like an undertaker. I picked up the Bible and went downstairs, to find Lily Mae waiting for me in the kitchen. "I have to . . . "

"No, you don't. The buggy's already hitched up, and it's waitin' out front."

"Are you goin' with me?"

"No. Bret's goin' with you. The rest of us are goin' in the carriage."

"Lily, I . . . "

"Come on, Mr. B. There's no time to dawdle. Unless you wanna be late to your own weddin'."

I offered Lily my arm and escorted her out to the carriage, then helped her in. Beau had hold of the reins. As it drove away, Bret pulled up in the buggy. "You ready, bridegroom?"

"As I'll ever be," I got to say one more time.

The weather had cooperated fully. It was cool and breezy, and the sky was a bright blue. "Momma'd be real proud of you," Bret insisted, and I hoped he was right. "Pappy was just beamin' this mornin'."

We drove on in silence, down the road and then up the hill, to the Desert Willow Tree that marked both the Maverick graveyard and the site of the wedding. The willow tree had just started to bloom, and there were pale pink flowers everywhere, as well as fresh desert flowers on Momma's and Aunt Abigail's graves. The Maverick boys were already here, as well as Reverend Slater. I looked back down to the bottom of the hill, and I could see the de la Torres carriage just beginning to make the climb.

I'd been calm until I saw the carriage, knowing that, amongst others, it carried my soon-to-be bride. Even then I didn't feel a whole lot different; Bret was the one that pointed it out to me. "You're shakin,' cardsharp. There's still time to run if you need to. Just say the word and we'll take off and never look back."

"No," I answered as I struggled to find my voice. "No. I want this, Bret. I really do."

My brother pulled the buggy over to the far side of the Maverick carriage and looked at me, a big grin on his face. "You need help gettin' out?"

"Nope. Not a bit." That was probably a lie; I had to hold onto the side of the buggy to hop down. Pappy, Ben, Beau and Lily Mae were already seated in the small grouping of chairs that had been placed under the willow tree yesterday. Bret came around and walked me over to where the Reverend stood, not far from the spot where Momma was buried. We shook hands, and he held onto me for just a minute.

"You alright, Bart?"

I'm sure he felt the trembling, but at least my voice was clear and firm. "I'm fine, Reverend."

There wasn't time for much more – Cristian pulled the carriage up alongside the Maverick carriage and helped Maude down and to a seat, returning for Ginny and sitting her right next to Pappy. Beauregard reached over, took her hand and whispered something to her. She smiled and nodded, then watched with everyone else as Cristian returned for the bride.

I'd avoided looking for Doralice, half expecting to pass out when I saw her. I almost did. I swayed, my knees tryin' to give way, but Bret was right there holding me up. And I needed it when I finally caught sight of her. I'd never seen anything so beautiful in my whole life.

The dress was a pale gold color, almost the same shade as the gold in my waistcoat. Her hair was a long gold braid, pulled away from that gorgeous face and those bright, blue eyes that sparkled like aquamarine stones. And I've no idea where she got them, but in her hands was a small bouquet of pale gold and blue flowers.

Just like she'd planned, she walked over to where I stood with Bret and Reverend Slater. She smiled at me, and I did my best to smile back. It must have worked because she didn't run away, and we turned together to face the Reverend.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in a most unusual place for a most unusual event . . . a Maverick wedding. As we all know, these don't happen every day. This one was initially scheduled to be held some weeks ago, but life intervened and delayed it until now. Nonetheless, we are here today to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony. We all know Bart Maverick and Doralice Donovan, and it's been evident to us for quite a while that they belong together. They've proven so time and time again, and this ceremony affords the legal means to unite them as husband and wife. There is no reason to delay any further.

"Bartley Jamison Maverick, do you take this woman as your lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death do you part?"

There was no hesitation, no indecision, and my voice was loud and clear. "I do."

"Doralice Evangeline Donovan, do you take this man as your lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Who has the rings?"

Bret reached into his pocket and pulled them out. "I do, Reverend."

Reverend Slater took Doralice's ring first and handed it to me. "Repeat after me, Bartley. With this ring, I thee wed."

I slipped it on her finger and grinned at her. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Then my ring went from Bret's hand to the Reverend's, and finally sat perched in the palm of her hand. "Doralice, the same. With this ring, I thee wed."

For the first time, I felt my blue-eyed angel's trembling fingers. But just like mine, her voice was strong and clear. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"As much as you have gathered before me, in the sight of God and these witnesses, and having heard no objections, I now pronounce you man and wife. Let no man put asunder what God hath joined together. Bartley, you may kiss your bride."

And that's exactly what I did.

TBC


	10. Life Goes On

Chapter 9 – Life Goes On

Everybody that had been at the wedding was on their way back to Maude's. Everyone, that is, except the bride and groom. We were still sitting on the hill, under the Desert Willow Tree, looking out over the little graveyard. Doralice was in my arms and it was just as well that she couldn't see my face at that exact moment, because it had tears running down it. I'd held it in as long as I could, and I couldn't hold it in any longer.

They were tears of happiness mixed with tears of sadness. Happiness for the woman I held in my arms – she was my wife at last, and nothing would ever change that. Sadness because the one person I so desperately wanted to share my joy with could only be there in spirit. We must have sat like that for a good four or five minutes, until Doralice finally pulled away from my embrace and saw what I'd been trying to hide. "For Isabelle?" she asked as she took her lace handkerchief and wiped my tears.

"Yes," I sniffed, "but for you, too. Because you're finally mine." I leaned down and kissed her then, the first true kiss of our married life, and it was as sweet and tender a kiss as I could give. "I know we're supposed to go to Maude's for the party, but I just wanna sit here and hold you. I don't wanna share you with anyone right now."

"I know. I feel the same way. But you know they're expecting us, and we have to go."

I sighed, and finally unwrapped my arms from around my bride. "I know. That doesn't mean I'm happy about it."

"Once the party's over . . . "

"I'm not openin' the front door to anyone. Don't care who it is or what they want. "

Two minutes later I'd picked up the reins, and we were on our way back to town. I left the buggy in front of the house and we walked down to Maude's. Sounded like the shindig was already in full swing; you could hear the laughter and music at least a block away. Of course, practically the whole town was there, so it didn't really matter how much noise they made.

When we walked through the batwing doors everything got awfully quiet. Then Bret appeared out of nowhere and announced, "Attention, everyone! May I present the bride and groom, Mister and Misses Bart Maverick!"

A roar went up in the saloon and we were engulfed by Little Bend friends and neighbors there to congratulate us. My brand new mother-in-law planted a kiss on one cheek while Lily Mae got the other cheek. Good thing my lung was healed, because I got bear hugs from every Maverick man in the place, as well as Cristian, Simon Petry, Dave Parker and Ray Ames. Within just a few minutes I'd lost complete track of my brand new bride.

There was music and food and drink and plenty of well-wishers, and I finally had to go find myself a quiet corner and sit down for a while. It wasn't long before Bret appeared with a glass of wine in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. "Which one do you want?" he asked.

"Actually, I could stand a glass of water. But I'll take the coffee."

Big brother smiled. "I was hopin' you'd say that." He took three big gulps of the wine. "Say, that's not bad."

"Have you seen my bride?"

"Not recently. She was talkin' to Simon a few minutes ago, standin' behind the bar like she was workin'."

"Help me find her, would ya?"

"Tired of the party already, you old dog?"

I stared at him. "I was tired of it five minutes before I got here. If you find her, tell her to meet me in Maude's office." Maude's office had a backdoor in it that very few people knew about.

I ventured back out into the crowd, all of whom seemed to be having a good time. All of them except me. I kept lookin' for Doralice, and when I finally found her I discovered that I wasn't the only one who'd rather be anywhere else but here. We hurried into Maude's office, and I locked the door behind us. "You had enough of this, Misses Maverick?"

"I have, Mister Maverick. I can think of one place I'd certainly rather be."

"Is it about a block up the street?"

"Yes, and the last time I saw it there was a horse and buggy parked in front of it."

I reached out and pulled her close. "Are you sure? Cause I'll stay here if you want to."

"I'm sure. Let's go home." I kissed her and we slipped out the back door, locking it behind us. When we got to our house, I helped Doralice into the buggy and we drove another block to the livery. Joe, the livery man's son, was there to tend the animals, and we left everything with him and tipped him five dollars to put it all away. When we returned to the house, I picked up my new bride and carried her across the threshold. She giggled the entire time.

"What was that for?"

"For luck."

She was still in my arms, four feet off the floor. "We don't need luck, handsome. We'll make our own."

I hope she was right.

XXXXXXXX

We were both so tired that we spent the first night of married life sound asleep in each other's arms. I woke up sometime around midnight and wondered why no one had come lookin' for us. I figured as soon as somebody knew we'd left the saloon they'd be knocking at our front door, wantin' to drag us back. Consumed by curiosity, I looked out the front window and quickly discovered the reason we'd had no interruptions . . . my brother Bret was asleep in the rocking chair on the porch, a Colt .45 in his right hand. Ever the protector.

I went back to bed and as soon as I climbed in, Doralice scooted into me. I gathered her back into my arms and began planting kisses all over her face and neck, and it wasn't long before she was responding to them. After days and days of sheer torture, I finally got to make love to my brand new wife.

We were awake again before sunup and it was too early to go to breakfast, but we found something to occupy our time. Like I pointed out before, there was no question of our compatibility, particularly when the subject was centered in the bedroom. Some two hours later we were finally on our way to Sawyer's for breakfast. Bret was no longer on the porch when we left.

It was another beautiful day, a little cooler than yesterday, and Doralice snuggled up to me while we walked. There was no one in the café when we got there, and it was a few minutes before Sawyer herself appeared. She looked surprised to see us. "What are you two doing in here this morning?"

My bride laughed. "It's morning. We're starved. Where else would we be?"

Finally, Sawyer chuckled. "That's true. You didn't stick around at your party long enough to eat."

"I don't think we were there an hour, were we?" I asked Doralice.

She shook her head. "No, probably not. It was loud, and crowded, and we were both . . . tired."

"I've got plenty of fried chicken that I can send home with you . . . so don't leave without it."

"Thanks, Sawyer. For now, how about some coffee?"

With Sawyer off for the coffee pot, I reached across the table and took Doralice's left hand in mine. "Ring sure looks pretty. Like it was always there."

She returned the gesture. "I still can't believe we found yours. Somebody had it made just for you."

The coffee pot arrived in Sawyer's hands and we ordered. "Sounds like you two are hungry."

I looked into those aqua-blue eyes and answered, "We are."

After breakfast we took the chicken home and went looking for Miss Lucy. We found her sleeping under the bed and made sure she got her fill of chicken; then I took her outside for another romp through the grass just as my brother rode up. "You have a quiet night?"

I tried to keep a straight face. "You know we did. I saw you in the rocker right after midnight. Thanks for takin' care of us."

"Somebody had to. Everybody at that party wanted to come up and drag you back down there."

"Glad they didn't. We were exhausted."

"I just bet you were. How's married life so far?"

"Great. Listen, don't say anything to Doralice about the weddin' present. I haven't given it to her yet."

Just about that time, Lucy presented herself on the front steps. "Looks like somebody wants back inside."

The door swung open and my bride stuck her head out. "I thought I heard voices. Come on in, you two. I've got some sun tea inside."

"I can't stay long," Bret replied. "I just came by to give you this." He pulled out his wallet and opened it, then handed me two-thousand-dollar bills.

"What's this?"

"It's a weddin' present from the Mavericks. Enough to get you started with all the things you wanna do to the house."

I didn't know what to say, but Doralice did. "Thanks, Bret. Tell the boys I said 'thank you.' I know just what to do with it, too."

"And what would that be, Misses Maverick?" I asked her.

"The lot behind us is for sale. We can buy that and put a fence up, then have somebody build us a chicken coop. I need eggs for breakfast, and eventually we're gonna hafta add on to this house."

"What for?" I might have been up and awake, but that didn't mean my head was workin'.

Doralice blushed before she answered and a picture of Dandy flashed through my head. "Because someday two bedrooms won't be enough for us, handsome."

"Oh." That thought hadn't crossed my mind, although it had crossed Pappy's. "Oh."

My brother looked startled. "Bartley Jamison Maverick. You're blushing."

"Me?" I squeaked. "Me?" It took a minute to catch my breath. "It's too soon for that."

"Yes it is, but by the time we need more room it'll be too late to add on. We should do it now, while we've got the time."

I must have been staring at Bret, because he finally spoke up. "Don't look at me like that. I ain't the one put the ideas in your wife's head."

That made me smile, and Bret asked, "What?"

"I like the sound of that. My wife."

Bret stood up and headed for the door. "Time for me to leave. Don't you have somethin' to do, Bart?"

I finally remembered the Bible. "Yeah, I do. Thanks for the present, Bret. Tell Pappy and Ben and Beau it's much appreciated." More than they would ever know. My wallet had remained darn near empty since I'd reimbursed the saloon for Dandy's 'pilfering.'

Bret hadn't been gone but a minute when Doralice handed me the money. "I'm serious about the lot behind us. Should look at the one on the left of us, too. Someday we'll probably need both of them."

I knew she was probably right, but I didn't wanna think about the future at the moment. I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom before she could protest. "I have something for you."

She giggled. "I bet you do."

I shook my head. "No, I'm serious. I really do." I set her down on the bed and retrieved my black coat from the closet. When I turned around I had the Bible in my hand. "This is my weddin' present to you."

She took it and opened it carefully, stopping to read the inscription I'd put there yesterday.

 _My Friend – I fell in love with a portrait – a picture of a beautiful young girl, so fresh and innocent, and I knew she couldn't be real. She was so much more than just a picture on a wall. Bright and articulate, cunning and resourceful, the most stunning creature I'd ever encountered, my true and real partner in life. I will love you until I die, and forever after that. Yours until the end of time, Bart._

When she looked up there were tears in her eyes. "I have something for you, too. Great minds think alike, you know." She reached into her pocket and pulled a small, black book from inside. It was a leather-bound edition of 'Great Expectations,' my very favorite Charles Dickens novel. It, too, was inscribed inside the cover.

 _Bart – I've loved you for so long, I can't believe we're finally married. Maude told me a long time ago that I would never be the one to 'catch' you . . . I'm so glad she was wrong. We've always belonged together, and now you know it too. With every bit of love I have to give, your wife, Doralice._

I sat on the bed beside her and held her for what seemed like hours. How could I have known, when I first met her so long ago in Mexico, that I would come to love her more than I ever imagined possible? After what we'd just been through in the last twenty-four hours, I was sure that this was the happiest I could ever be. I was so wrong.

The End


End file.
